Please note that these reports were not published by DVA and the links are provided as a navigation aid only.

Committee Reports on DVA and Defence Matters

Since 1997, all Committee reports have been available on the Internet and are listed by Committee. Provided below is a selection of links to Committee reports on DVA and Defence matters likely to be of interest or impact to DVA's work.

On 25 March 2015, the Senate referred the following matter to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report. As the terms of reference of the inquiry indicate, the committee's focus is on the mental health support, evaluation and counselling services provided by Defence and DVA, and the identification and disclosure policies of the ADF in relation to mental ill-health and PTSD. The Report was released in March 2016.

The Senate referred this matter to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committees for inquiry and report. The committee inquired into the report of the review of allegations of sexual and other abuse in Defence, conducted by DLA Piper, and the response of the Government to the report and related matters.

On 24 June 2013, the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade tabled its report on the inquiry into the care of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel wounded and injured on military operations. Central to the Committee’s inquiry is the role of the departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs in supporting Australia’s wounded and injured.

By and large, the terms of reference deal with: allegations of unacceptable behaviour by a number of sailors onboard HMAS Success; an equity and diversity health check of the ship; the subsequent removal of three senior sailors from the ship; and the many administrative and disciplinary investigations that followed.

On 24 March 2011, the Senate agreed ... to refer the bill, together with the amendments ... and proposed mechanisms for funding the bill, to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report.

On Thursday 25 June 2009, the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade tabled its report on the inquiry into RAAF F-111 Deseal/Reseal workers and their families entitled Sealing a just outcome: Report from the Inquiry into RAAF F-111 Deseal/Reseal workers and their families.

The committee's terms of reference asked it to inquire into the changing nature of Australia's involvement in peacekeeping operations and the implications for a range of government departments and agencies likely to be called on to assist a peacekeeping operation. In specifically nominating a broad range of agencies, the terms of reference indicated that the committee was to consider operations extending beyond the traditional 'peacekeeping' model to include today's complex multidimensional missions.

Both Bills form a package designed to provide new health care entitlements for eligible Australian participants in the British nuclear tests. The Australian Participants in Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Bill 2006 provides for non liability cancer testing and treatment for eligible participants. The second bill provides consequential amendments.

The committee recommends that the ADF review its procedures for instructing personnel about the various codes of conduct, ADF's instructions or Concepts of Operations governing the conduct of Australian personnel while engaged in overseas operations especially where Australian personnel are deployed with third country operations. All Australian personnel must be made aware of their obligations with regard to human rights issues which includes their obligation to report any activity that seems illegal.

This report concerns recent work to repair roads and carparks on the Gallipoli Peninsula in western Turkey at the site of the historic Allied campaign in 1915. It is alleged that in late February 2005, Turkish authorities' widening of parts of the coastal road at ANZAC Cove and the construction of two car parks uncovered fragments of human bone and damaged the military heritage of the site.

The terms of reference require that the Committee consider several issues, including the adequacy of administrative arrangements for deployment and of the management of records, the links between ADF and DVA, and the appropriateness of the research programs of both.

On 4 December 2003, the Senate referred the provisions of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Bill 2003 and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2003 to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee for inquiry and report.

The inquiry focused on the dual eligibility arrangements and the offsetting calculations applied to veterans and ex-service personnel who receive a pension as well as a benefit by way of a lump sum, under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988. The aim of the inquiry was to examine the perceived anomalies in the current arrangements.

The purpose of this report is to assess the current review structure and process for veteran and military compensation cases, and analyse a range of options for streamlining the review hierarchy and improving the review system's administration.

The terms of reference for this inquiry indicated that the Committee was to examine current recruitment and retention strategies in the ADF. In order to develop an understanding of these strategies, the Committee adopted an approach influenced by the following themes: the reasons people enlist in the ADF; the unique nature of military service; the 'psychological contract'; and linkages between recruitment and retention strategies.

This report into the Army is about achieving improved capability for the future. The report recommends an effective doubling of the Army's capability to respond to short warning contingencies by the creation of four capable and ready brigades, and increasing the Army's ability to respond to more significant threats by a force expansion capability 30 per cent greater than the current force.

On 29 September 1993, the Senate referred a detailed set of Terms of Reference to the Senate Standing Committee concerning the nature and incidence of sexual harassment or sexual assault and the handling of such complaints in the Royal Australian Navy and other armed forces.

Parliamentary Library Bills Digests

Bills Digests are Parliamentary Library publications which provide an independent perspective on government legislation. They are written to support the work of the Australian Parliament - specifically, to assist all Senators and Members in their consideration of legislation and preparation of responses and speeches relating to the legislation. They complement the legislative material provided by the Executive (such as Explanatory Memoranda and second reading speeches).

This 'Anzac Day Kit' has been compiled over a number of years by various staff members of the Parliamentary Library, and is updated annually. This kit is produced to assist Members and Senators with their representational and ceremonial duties on Anzac Day.

On 31 July 1914, the Opposition Leader Andrew Fisher (ALP) famously declared that ‘should the worst happen, after everything has been done that honour will permit, Australians will stand beside the mother country to help and defend her to our last man and our last shilling’.

This Research Paper considers the context of Fisher’s declaration by briefly outlining the steps leading to the outbreak of the war and the costs to Australia by the end of hostilities. It then examines two particular issues of relevance in the parliamentary environment: the extent of an independent Australian foreign policy and why Britain’s declaration of war was considered to automatically include Australia, and second, the role of the parliament in committing Australia to war.

The purpose of this chronology of key events is to provide an historical context with which to understand the evolution of superannuation and retirement income policy in Australia. The chronology focuses on key events in the development of superannuation and retirement income policy including: major milestones and changes relating to the Age Pension; the development and implementation of mandatory and voluntary retirement income arrangements; and the development of, and changes to, taxation arrangements applying to superannuation generally.

This is one of a series of chronologies dealing with the history of Social Security Payments. This paper traces the history of a number of payments for aged people, people with disabilities and carers.

This paper is not a definitive treatment of the history of social security in Australia. It is a reference tool for those needing to locate specific changes quickly and place them in their chronological context.

This is one of a series of chronologies dealing with the history of Social Security Payments. This paper traces the history of a number of payments for children and child carers. Payments for sole parents are included in this document.

This paper provides a short history of the development of these payments and a chronology of changes to each payment from their introduction to the present day.

This background note outlines the current requirements for the timing of nominations for awards for gallantry, distinguished service and for bravery, and summarises the principles applied in previous approaches to considering retrospective awards for the Vietnam War.

This research paper seeks to provide a critical analysis of social inclusion as a concept while, at the same time, extracting from it those elements that are likely to provide most value in developing a framework for making social policy.

Military superannuation arrangements have been subject to extensive changes. This paper presents background information on past events and current arrangements for any discussions following the recent release of the report of the review of military superannuation.

This is one of a series of chronologies dealing with the history of Social Security Payments. This paper traces the history of unemployment, sickness and special benefits to able bodied work force aged people. Payments for widowed people are included in this document. A brief history is provided to put the various payments into a broader context.

Should criminal laws in Australia be amended to allow for industrial manslaughter offences? This Research Brief discusses legislative developments in various Australian states and territories, and comparative examples from the United Kingdom and Canada.

This paper provides a survey of conditions of service in the Regular component of the Australian Defence Force. Generally the aim is not to analyse issues and policies but to provide basic information on a variety of personnel matters which are often complex, hopefully equipping the reader with a context for issues that may arise.

About CLIK

The Consolidated Library of Information and Knowledge (CLIK) contains all the legislative, policy and reference material used by DVA staff in providing service to the clients of the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Rehabilitation

Disclaimer

Information provided on this website is for general information and on the understanding that the Australian Government is not providing professional advice on a particular matter.

While we make every effort to ensure that the information on this site is accurate and up to date we accept no responsibility whether expressed or implied for the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information.

Before relying on the material you should independently check its relevance for your purposes, and obtain any appropriate professional advice.

For reasons of succinctness and presentation, the information provided on this website may be in the form of summaries and generalisations, and may omit detail that could be significant in a particular context, or to particular persons.

Important legislative change

Please be aware that Parliament has recently passed a new Act that will replace the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRCA) for current and former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with conditions linked to service prior to 1 July 2004.

The new Act, titled the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA), will have the same eligibility requirements and provide the same benefits for current and former members of the ADF with compensation coverage under the SRCA. The DRCA will also apply to new claims the Department receives from current and former ADF members with injuries, diseases, deaths, losses or damages resulting from ADF employment prior to 1 July 2004.

The DRCA commenced operation on 12 October 2017.

As a result of this change, the Department is updating its published information, including hardcopy and website content, including CLIK. While this process is well underway, it will take some time before all changes are complete. In the meantime, references within CLIK to the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 or SRCA should now generally be understood to be references to the new DRCA Act (with the exception of intended historical references to SRCA). It is important to note that the same provision references (i.e., sections, subsections and paragraphs) from the SRCA have been retained in the DRCA.

Again, while the Department makes every effort to ensure that the information on this site is accurate and up to date and all necessary changes will be made as soon as practicable, the above disclaimer notice is of particular importance to those members whose circumstances may be affected by this legislative change. We appreciate your patience during this change process.